Chapter 309: Surprise Adoption (1/2)
Ma Ping and Jia Shan brought Wang Yun and Liu Bian to the guesthouse. Ju Shoufen, Ku'er, Luo Cheng, Hua Xiong, and the gang also escorted Liu Xie there.
The royal guards and the ministers in the palace hadn't realized the death of Dong Zhongying yet. They still maintained order in the palace as if nothing had happened.
The gang gathered around Wang Yun, waiting for his explanation and his excuses.
Wang Yun looked at everybody around him. Then, he glanced at Liu Bian and Liu Xie.
”It will probably be a long story.”
”We have time.”
”Alright.”
Wang Yun tore his skin mask and the bodysuit, revealing himself as a Caucasian man with short light blond hair. He introduced himself as Mike Michaelzon, aka Mike for short. He was a rogue cultivator from the Holy Land, but he visited this continent for treasure-hunting.
His goal was the treasure of Liu Ji's legacy, which had been entrusted to Liu Hong, aka the previous emperor. From the clues that Mike had collected, the treasure was a compiled analytic record of a Time-and-Space Mural, which Liu Ji used to have.
Mike was not sure if it was legit intel or just a baseless rumor at first. However, the Liu Clan's restless movements became noticeable when a rumor about another piece of Time-and-Space Mural was circulating in towns. One of their young masters even accidentally blurt out to him that Liu Hong had the treasure, and they were about to secure another piece from Aves Continent.
Mike immediately traveled to Aves Continent to search for clues right away, hoping to score something big. Even if they had to surrender the mural to the Liu Clan, it wouldn't hurt selling it to one of the influential powerhouse clans.
Unfortunately, the clues about another Mural piece led to Wei Huang and the Xu Clan. As he didn't want to offend Xu Huang, the renowned succubus queen from the Holy Land, Mike chose not to provoke these demon clans.
Afterward, Mike ran in to Dong Zhongying and was enlisted to the imperial forces. However, Liu Bian bribed him to betray Dong Zhongying, and he was by the prince's side ever since.
While working for Liu Bian, Mike explored the imperial palace and discovered the clues to the treasure vault. Zhang Rang's subordinates bragged that their emperor implanted the KEYS to his sons, and his boss hid the entrance to the dimensional vault under one of the palaces.
Jia Shan, Ma Ping, and Miaomiao listened to the story and connected the dots. They began to understand the big picture. Though Miaomiao was shocked to hear that another piece of the mural was close by, his two pieces of murals didn't resonate or give him a warning.
”So, what are they have to do with KEYS? What are KEYS?” Ju Shoufen had been holding Liu Xie's hand, ensuring his safety.
Mike bitterly smiled and bowed to Ju Shoufen, ”We extract blood essence from both of them and use it to activate the entrance portal.”
Miaomiao and others were relieved. At least, Liu Hong didn't do something cliché, such as having the two princes kill each other to inherit the legacy or sacrifice both of them.
However, Mike hadn't finished, ”Once the vault is opened, only of the princes can enter.”
Everybody rolled their eyes as this treasure vault dimension thingy seemed useless to them. If only the princes could enter, they asked themselves - Why did they have to bother with it?
”So, you've planned to use Liu Bian to fetch you whatever legacy or treasures inside?” Ju Shoufen didn't like Mike's reason. It seemed fishy.
Mike nodded, ”Correct.”
”As if we can trust this evil brat and you! What if you make up this story and save Liu Bian's life!?”
”Why do I have to save his life when he tried to kill me along with you!?”
”Bah, cultivators are untrustworthy creatures. Who knows if everything is planned by you or that brat?”
”…”
Ju Shoufen's paranoia behavior was the same as last year when she suspected Miaomiao of hiding secrets of his growth and his motive for helping her. Now, she kept bombarding question after question to find fault with Mike and Liu Bian.
After 10 minutes of interrogation, Ma Ping stopped Ju Shoufen, ”Enough. Let us handle this.”
”… Fine.”
Ju Shoufen grabbed Liu Xie's hand and led him to her room. She gestured for Miaomiao to follow her.
Miaomiao shook his head. He was interested in Mike's story as it related to the secret of Time-and-Space Law, and he preferred staying behind to listen than dealing with Ju Shoufen's tantrum.
Lu Fengxian noticed Miaomiao and Ju Shoufen's eye contact and gesture. He sighed, ”Miaomiao, go with your wife. I'll listen to the story in your stead, and I'll tell you what I find.”
”… Thanks, master.”
”By the way, don't hesitate to use the sharing sense perk. You can still access my vision or ears.”
Miaomiao was delighted to have Lu Fengxian's permission. He bowed to his new master and accompanied Ju Shoufen to her room.
…
After Miaomiao and Ju Shoufen brought Liu Xie to a guestroom, the loli grandma placed several refined stones around the room and created a soundproof array.
Miaomiao and Liu Xie stared at Ju Shoufen, wondering what she was doing.
”What are you doing?”
”Can't you tell? It's a soundproof array.”
”I know, but why soundproof? Are we going to have sex in front of the child?”
”IDIOT! WHO'S GOING TO FUCK YOU HERE!?”
Ju Shoufen's face reddened in embarrassment and anger. She brought out her immortal-grade fan and plan to burn Miaomiao with its ability, but the spirit of Ju Shoufen's daughter came out and pulled her mother away from him.
It took Ju Shoufen a minute to calm down.
Miaomiao coughed and stopped teasing Ju Shoufen, ”So, what are we going to do with him?”
Liu Xie shrieked in fear. He ran and hid behind Ju Shoufen, afraid that Miaomiao might do something to him.
Ju Shoufen turned around and hugged the poor boy. Then, she gave Miaomiao a serious look.
”I'm adopting him.”
”You, what!?”
”I'm adopting this boy!”
”…”
Miaomiao was speechless. He understood that Ju Shoufen had trauma for losing her only daughter, but suddenly adopting a child took him by surprise.
Then, Ju Shoufen dropped another bomb, ”You're going to be his father, too.”
”… I already have 11 sons.”
”Those are your children with those demon bitches. You haven't had a child with me yet, so I'm having one now.”
”…”
This topic came out from the right field. Miaomiao didn't know what to react.
But when he thought about the abuses that Dong Zhongying had done to Liu Xie, Miaomiao pitied the boy. He must have been through a lot of hardship at his age.
”Fine. I'll be his father, but I'll leave him in your care since I'm quite busy these days.”
”Good! That's settled!” Ju Shoufen turned to Liu Xie, ”Now, Xie'er. From now on, your name will be Ju Xie! I'll be your mama, okay?”
Miaomiao's face twitched as the boy didn't inherit his surname, ”Not Mao Xie?”
”I don't want my son to have a pun surname or be called as a CAT!”
”… I also didn't want the surname. *sob*”
While Miaomiao sulked and sobbed by himself after being bullied because of his surname, Ju Shoufen and ”Ju Xie” ignored him and chatted, getting to know each other. Ju Xie smiled and laughed, happy that Ju Shoufen became his new mother.
Miaomiao sighed, ”Haiz. What am I doing here? I should have been with the others and listen to Mads Mikkelsen's transmigration story.”